Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-16
CULLOM'S BILLS.
lie WAITS the Postal Telegraph Es.
tsbIished as Part OF the Postal
System of The Country,
Anc to Include Express, Sleeping Car and
O.her transportation Comp aoies In
The later Ste.e Commerce Law.


O.her transportation Comp oies In
The later Stale Commerce Law.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-The postal tel
egraph bill introduced by Senator Cullom
to-day establishes the Omitted States
Postal Telegraph" as a pert of the postal
system of the Uaited States, and for the
purpose of inauguratlng the system pro-
vides that the following telegraph trunk
lines shall first be constructed: One from
Washington to Portland, Me-, via Balti-
more. Philadelphia, New York and Bos-
ton; one from Washington to Minnsap-
Oils, Wis Pittspurg, Cleveland, Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul; one
from New York city to-
Cleveland, via Albany and Buffalo;
one from Pittsburg to Topeka, Kas., Gin
clnnati, Indianapolis, ST. Louis and Kan
s3s City end minor towns near large
cities; one from Toledo TO Detroit, AID
QUE fr, II Washington to Galveston, Wis
Richmond, Atlanta aud New Orleans; one
from Chicago to New Orleans, via indi tn
ap0lls. Louisville, Memphis and Vlcks-
burg; one from Chicago to st. Loui.-;
ore from Chicago TO San Francisco, Via
Omsha and Salt Lake City; one from
Cheyenne to Denver.
Postal telegraph ffices are to be opened
ct the places named and at all lntermedl-
ate points at which first, second and
third class postcf iices are established
Branch lines, 1t provides, shall be ade
from time to time as appropriations sre
made by Congress, the intention being 10
connect the lines with all cities where
tae postal free delivery system prevails,
bat no additional facilities are to be pro-
vide6 in states already connected with
trunk lines until the postal telegraph
offices have been established in every
state or territory. The system IS to be
constructed in straight lines as near as
possible, but regard is 70 be taken OF
cities that will afford the best telegraph
iscilitie to the public.
The lines are to be constructed by the
engineer corps Of the army and then
transferred to the custody Of the Post
master General The poles are to be OF
iron, wires of copper, and all other ma
rerials of the best character. Eight wires
sre to be strung on the lines from New
York to Chicago and four upon the other
lines. The Secretary Of War is authoriz I'd
TO use the military service lines OF the
United Stats as far as expedlent; also to
make all necessary concentrations OF
lands or buildings st fair comp nsation
The Secretary Is further authorized to
construct, take and use all machinery and
devices, not including telegraph lines,
whether patented or rot, as shall be
deemed necessary. The sums OF money
necessary for this purpose are spprOpri-
ated by the bill. A rate of 10 cents for
each twenty words, and ) cents for each
additional ten words is fixed for distances
under 500 miles, and On additional cent
rate for each $50 miles over 500. A nfgat
rate OF So cents and day rate of IS cents
is fixed for each loo words transmitted for
newspapers, except that where the same
dispatch is dropped off at more than one
I'll &c, the Istes shall be % and 30 cents
| respectively for each dropped copy. The
office of director-generalo of telegraph is
| created as part of the Poscofice De-
partment. 1t is made the duty of the
Postmaster General 20 report to Cor
gress after the passage of the act plan
| for the complete organization Of the
| postal tee graph system with detailed es-
| Inmates Of the men and money needed be-
| fore the system is put into operation and
employees selected. Examinations are to
| be held by the civil service commission to
determine the fitness of applicants. Four
million dollars Is appropriated for the
| location and construction of telegraph
! line provided for by the act.
The billintroducedb by Senator Collum to-
day to amend the interstate commerce law
embodies the most important suggestions
that have been made for the corrections
Of defects in the law, including the recon-
men 1ntionS OF the commissioners. The
amendments are voluminous. The SEN
ator proposes to make the law Apply to
all express companies, sleeping Car COM
pxnies, palace Car companies, stock car
companies, tank Car companies and any
other companies, associations or persons
furnishing tor public use upon railway
cars or other instrumentalities for
the transportation of parsons or
property. He also proposes to prohibit
pooling between railroads and other car
riers as we'll as between railroads. In
the section in relation to the publication
Of rates, the Senator proposes
to repeal the provision Of
the present law in regard to ad-
vances and reductions in rates aud mss e
them apply to joint through rates, and
the short haul provision is also made to
apply specially to joint through rates
Ii is also proposed to
authorize the commission to prescribe 8
form in which all rates shall be printed
for public inspection. a change is also
proposed in the section relating to the
award OF dsmsges by the com
mission, 90 as to better 5pIa-
vide for the enforcement Of & the
tindlng of the commission in such cases.
Il is elso proposed to make the sbmniss
sion independent of the InterioE d. sfts
ment, as recommended bys6ecsstary L.
mar in his recent report, aid q lew otneE
verbal and unimportant chtRfes are sugs
gested. 8: